Did somebody say two-stroke? Yes, we did as Yamaha has taken the wraps of an all new machine, the YZ250X. Okay, it’s is based off the existing YZ250 motocross bike, but it does get a lot of GNCC-specific features (Yamaha’s words, not ours) such as an 18-inch rear wheel, sealed O-ring chain, off-road focused tires a standard side stand and fuel tank petcock with reserve position.

Other variations include narrow dimensions on the expansion chamber (vertically and horizontally), minor changes to the compression ratio, exhaust port tuning, ignition timing and the inclusion of a wide-ratio 5 speed gearbox to bring more versatility and flexibility to trails riders. It’s nice to see a two-stroke trails focused bike that’s not from Europe for a change.

The 2016 Yamaha YZ250X will be available in August, priced at $7,390 which is only $100 more than the YZ250 – a very small premium considering all the changes it receives.

Most of Yamaha’s existing lineup gets minor tweaks and refinements, while the YZ450F gets probably the most attention. Biggest upgrade is that it now comes with launch control. Additionally, Yamaha has modified the cam profiles for what they describe as improved low and mid range response. Also refined are the both the clutch and gearbox, the suspension gets revised settings and the front brake is now 270mm in diameter. It’ll be available later this month for $8,590.